Immunosuppression without calcineurin inhibition: by ZEUS.

摘要

In The Lancet, the ZEUS trial investigators describe an immunosuppressive regimen designed to remove calcineurin-inhibitor drugs early after kidney transplantation to improve renal function. 300 kidney recipients were given a non-depleting induction antibody, basiliximab, plus maintenance ciclosporin, enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium, and low-dose steroids. The patients were randomly assigned at 4.5 months to switch from ciclosporin to the mTOR inhibitor everolimus or maintain the initial regimen (mTOR stands for mammalian-target-of-rapamycin). The patients were followed up for 12 months (6-7 months after conversion), and the effect on renal function, safety, and tolerability was assessed.